Chapter 6
Natalie had a peculiar
ar trait. When she got startled, her reactions always lagged by a few seconds.
By the time the fear registered, the scariest part of the ordeal was usually over, leaving her no room for panicked screams or over–the–top reactions. Instead, she managed to appear unnervingly calm,
This odd quirk had been her saving grace so far. Despite everything that had happened, she hadn’t broken down, hadn’t screamed, and certainly hadn’t lost control. She might have looked composed, but deep inside, she knew better than anyone that her calm was nothing more than delayed processing
At this moment, Natalie couldn’t be more thankful for her delayed reactions, because Jonas had just spoken in Nocriadorian, and Myla hadn’t moved a muscle after his words. It was clearly another test.
People were most vulnerable to revealing their secrets when they were relaxed, Jonas’s sudden remark wasn’t idle curiosity—it was a trap, a calculated attempt to gauge her response. Fortunately, she hadn’t taken the bait.
From the very beginning, Natalie had chosen to hide the fact that she understood Nocriudorian, knowing admining it would’ve only deepened their suspicions about her. Now, though, the window to come clean had long since closed. If she got caught now, the consequences would be even
san
Still, there was an upside to her pretense. Once they decided she didn’t understand the language, they’d stop being cautious when speaking Nocridorun around her. That meant more chances to gather useful information–information that might help her survive.
in the passenger seat.
A tense silence stretched in the car, Jonas waited a moment, his sharp eyes ticking toward her. Natalie remained curled up in unmoving, her face a mask of oblivion.
His tone, though still laced with annoyance, had softened slightly, losing its
its earlier edge. “What’s that smell?” he asked abruptly.
This time, he spoke in Mastrarian, leaving no doubt that he wanted her to understand
‘Does he mean mer Natalie’s stomach sank as a chill ran down her spine. Before she could process it, Myla leaned closer, snitting the air, her head tilting in Natalie’s direction.
Panic seized her. Her heart, which had just started to settle, now felt like it was roasting over open flames. Her face drained of color as she hastily lowered her head and sniffed her clothes 1 didn’t sweat, so I shouldn’t smell weird…right?
But Jonas’s growing impatience was impossible to ignore. From the backseat, his vosce cut through the air, sharper this time. “Open the window
Then, in the same breath, his tone shifted, darker and more decisive. “Forget it. Just throw her out.”
Natalie’s eyes went wide with shock, her stomach twisting into knots. It really is me? 1 smell bad!
Myla, who had been content to stay out of it caught a glimpse of Natalie’s damp, glistening eyes through the corner of her gaze. Her puiful expression tugged at something deep inside Myla–an instinctive flicker of compassion she couldn’t ignore.
Myla pulled out half a pack of wet wipes from the glove compartment and tossed them onto Natalie’s lap, her tone flat yet commanding. “The blood–wipe it off”
“Blood” Natalie stared at the wet wipes in her hands, her mind racing as her eyes dared across her body. Her shoulder throbbed, and the back of her head ached, but she was sure she didn’t have any bleeding wounds. Where’s the blood coming from!
Her gaze dropped to her knees, and then it hit her like a bolt of lightning. The realization drained the last traces of color from her face, which had only just begun to recover after Jonas’s earlier, soul–shaking kiss.
With trembling hands, she yanked a few wet wipes from the pack, scrubbing frantically at her calves. It only took a few swipes for the pristine white tissues to be smeared with ominous red stains.
Her hands began to shake uncontrollably. The memories she had desperately tried to suppress clawed their way back to the surface, tearing at her already fragile nerves like a relentless storm ‘Dead bodies. Those were actual dead bodies. And those two kidnappers were lying right at my feet:
Biting her lip so hard it nearly bled, she willed herself to hold back the tears threatening to spill cover. She couldn’t afford to cry–not now. Not when every second counted.
Natalie scrubbed until no visible traces of blood remained, even though her skin felt raw from the friction. She clutched the blood–streaked wipes in a daze, nausea rising from the pit of her stomach, choking her.
“Throw it away” Jonas’s voice cut through the tension. His gaze locked onto the bloodied tissues, his irritation barely veiled beneath his cold tone
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Chapter 6
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Before Natalie could react, Myla reached over, snatching the tissues from her trembling hands. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Myla rolled down the window and flung the mess out
She wanted to let in some fresh air. But the moment she cracked the window open, a gust of gritty air whooshed into the car, carrying with it the metalic tang of blood.
Myla hurriedly rolled the window back up, but it was too late. The stench had already reached Jonas.
Myla winced inwardly. “Damn it. The monster in the backseat is definitely about to lose his temper
Her instincts proved correct. Jonas’s face darkened, and his sharp brow furrowed in displeasure. “Stop the car he growled, his voice low and menacing, like the calm before a violent storm.
Without hesitation, Myla slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt halt. It was clear from her precise maneuvering that this wasn’t her first time dealing with his temper.
Before the vehicle even came to a complete stop, Jonas shoved the door open, stepping out in one fluid motion. His legs carried him effortlessly to the side of the car, where he leaned against the doorframe with an almost predatory grace.
From his pocket, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He tapped the bus against his wrist a couple of times before pulling one out and biting down on the filter. His bandaged hand flicked a lighter open, the small flame briefly illuminating the sharp angles of his face
For a moment, the shadows danced across his features, making him look almost otherworldly–beautiful and dangerous, all at once.
Before he could take the first drag, a phantom pain began to crawl up his left arm, so vivid it felt like a hot iron branding his skin. He knew it was nothing more than a cruel trick of his mind, yet the sensation refused to fade,
It wasn’t until the cold weight of the silver bracelet on his wrist shifted slightly, sliding down to his forear, that reality began to pull him back. from the edge of the abyss.
He inhaled deeply, letting the sharp tang of tobacco flood his senses, forcibly suppressing the irritation boiling inside. It had been years since Jonas? had thought about those days–years since the memories had clawed their way to the surface.
Jonas leaned against the passenger–side window, his imposing frame nearly blotting out the sunlight streaming into the car.
Natalie, practically glued to the seatback, peeked nervously toward Myla. She wanted to say something, but the realization hit her–she didn’t even know the woman’s name
Myla, cold and soie on the surface, was sharper than the appeared. The moment Natalie turned her head, Mylacaught her gaze and locked onto it like a hawk
tified bera
As if reading Natalie’s mind, Myla pointed at herself and spoke, her voice matter–of–fact, I’m Myla Carr.” She shifted who was standing outside the car, smoking. “Boss doesn’t like the smell of blood.”
attention toward Jonas,
The truth was, the metallic tang of blood in an enclosed space brought back childhood memories Jonas would rather forget. It made his head pound with the kind of pain that didn’t just stay in his skull but seeped into his very bones.
own peace of mind that suffered everyone within
And when Jonas had a headache, his notoriously foul semper came out to play. It wasn’t just his own a ten–mile radius felt the ripple effects.
Though today seems worse than usual: Myla mused, scaling a glance at the pronounced vein pulsing at his temple. ‘Could it be after he kissed her, he suddenly remembered his embarrassing dysfunction? Maybe he’s feeling insecure or heartbroken?
Her face remained impassive, but inwardly. Myla sighed, Guess we won’t be making it to the rendezvous point on time today”
Of course. Myla had no intention of sharing any of these thoughts with Natalie.
Natalie, meanwhile, couldn’t begin to guess at the whirlwind of inner drama playing out behind Myla’s Hank expression. Instead, her focus lingered on Myla’s earlier comment that caught Natalie off guard.
“Doesn’t like the smell of blood? Natalie thought, her heart skipping a beat ‘Maybe that means he won’t hurt me…
The faintest sense of relief seeped into her anxious mind, taking the edge off her mounting panic.
But Jonas wasn’t one to miss even the subtlest shifts in mood. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Natalie’s fleeting expression–the slight ease in her shoulders, the shallow exhale of breath. He saw right through her.
Does this little spy really think I’m that easygoing” He pressed a thumb against the throbbing vein on his temple.
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